Ratchet wrench



Dec. 8, I925- 1,564,838 c. 1.. ERICSQN ET AL RATCHET WRENCH Filed Sept. 18, 1924 a er IINVENTOM.

401mb... M, BY 2 I4TT0RNEY.

Patented Dec, 8, 1925.

IT ATES CARL L.- Earcsoiv, or roive yrnl now, mp "wIrLIaI/r nor-Ears, or raIiverrELD, MASSACHUSETTS; sAInjERIcsoN nfssrerrort T amnaroalvsaw nivnlvralvurno- TURINeooMrA-NY; or SPRINGFIELD, rrAssAonUSETrs-A ooarona'raon or ASSACHUSETTS.

anronnfr WRENCH.

Application "filed-September 1-8, 1924. Serial No. 738,429.

To all-whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that we, CARL L. ERICSON, a

Subject of the King of Sweden residing'at which, whilevpossessing the strength, dura head having extensionsvor'lu gswith a space between, a center piece or work-holder loosely arranged in the perforation orop'ening' in said head, means to retain said workholder in said opening,- and an operating handle pivotally connected with said lugs and adapted to have one termin-al oscillated in said space, saidhandle at said terminal having a cam-surface 'to engage and-grip the periphery of said work-holder, when said handle is swung on its pivot in either direction, or; alternately to grip and release said periphery as said handle is swung to and fro within certain limits less than the maximum limits of the movement of the handle, all as hereinafter set forth.

The primary object of our invention is to produce a reversible ratchet wrench bility, and other characteristics essential to such-a wrench, is extremely simple in construction and operation, and canbe manufactured at a minimum cost. This wrench comprises few parts which can be easily and quickly assembled. S r

Another object is to providea wrench of this character with simple and inexpensive means for holding the central, rotatable member against movementlongitudinally on its axis.

Other objectsandiadvantages will appear in :the course of the following description.

We attain theobjects and secure the adva ag f 20, 11 f inrent qn by he m ans lustrated in Hie-accompanying drawings, in

Figure 1 is a top plan ofa'ratchet wrench which embodies a practicalform of our in-.

=vention;.Fig. 2, a central.vertical seotion through said wrench, taken on 1 lines 2 '2fin Fig. l; Fig. 3, acentr-alflvertical section) through a ratchet wrench "which, {is provided with modified means for'retail'iing the :central :member in place in the head; Fig. 4,

acentral vertical section through a ratchet wrench which embodies still another modi v ficati'on of the holding or, retaining means for the central member; Fig."'-5,:'a sectional view generally similar 'to Fig. '2, except that the wrench is equipped with fri'ct'ion en-' tgagingmeans forthe object to which said wrench-is applied ,Fig. 6, a horizontal section' through a portionof the wrench shown in Fig. 3. said section'being taken 'onllines 6--6 in that view; and Fig. 7, aflhoriz'ontal section through'the {wrench shown; in the first two views, saidlast-n-amed section being taken on" lines 7- 7 in Fig; 2.

Similar reference characters designate similar parts throughout the several views. InF-ig. 1 the handle off the wrench is shown in n'eutral position inffull lines, and in one of its operative orfactive positions by dot-and-dash lines. In each OffFlgS. 3,

l, 5 and-7 only the inner-end portion-of the l handle is shown, and the same is in neutral position.

This ratchet wrench, in each example, comprises a head 1 having therein a central opening 3 that extends through fromside to side or to'pto-bottom, and being provided with a pair of lugs 4 between which is a space 5; a center piece or work holderf8 that is adapted'to receive or engage the work,

and here is approximately of the same thickness as said head and fits said opening, said head and work-holder normally being independently rotatable, and said work-holder having, in eachof the present examplesfan' angular opening 9 therein to receive the ob- 'ject to be rotated-,-such opening extending through the worlcholder from-side to side ortop to bottom; means to retain said workholder in the opening therein, which means will subsequently .be described 3 and an operating handle 10 that has its inner terminal, portion inserted in said space 5 and pivotally connected at 11 with said lugs, the inner end of such terminal portion being convex to form a cam surface 12.

Some portion of the periphery of the work-holder 8 extends into or is exposed 7: through thespace 5 in position to be engaged in which the same is being moved.

foregoing is true because the distance be by the. cam-surface 12, which cam-surface is on an arc of a circle whose center is back of the axis of the pivot 11, slightly towardthe free end of the handle. When the handle 10 is disposed with the aXisof the handle 10 and centers of cam-surface 12 and work-holder 8 substantially in line, said cam-surface is out of contact with the adjacent portion of the work-holder 8; but, when said handle is'swungon' the .pivotll in either direction, said cam-surface is caused to contact with "said work-holder and exerts pressure there on in proportion to-the force exerted on the handle, withthe result that said workholder and the headl are locked together and carried with the handle in the direction The ' tween the center of the pivot 11 and either in the head 1.

end of the arc of the cam-surface is greater :than the distance between said center and any point in such are which is intermediate ofits ends, or, in any event, sufficientto cause said cam-surface to grip and carry with it the work-holder 8, when the handle -'is swung in either direction on said pivot. As a simple and inexpensive means of retaining the work-holder S'in the opening 3,

we may form air-annular groove 13 in the centeroi" theperiphery oi. aid work-holder, and insert a radial pin i i-through the pe riphery of the head 1 and into said groove.

The pinl l has a tight fit in the head 1,

but a loose fit in the groove 13 so as .notto interfere with the rotation otthe workholeer 8 in said head or the latter on the former-see Figs. 1, 2, and 7. In this case the thickness of the cam-surface 12 and the diameter of the pin 14 are substantially the same, and said cam-snrtace is received in- 8' from slipping out of the opening 3, we

' may provide the head 1 with an integral lug 15 which'enters the groove 13, as shown in Figs 3 and 6. In-order to produce the lug 15, a slot 16 is milled or otherwise formed in the periphery of the head 1 to thin the metal of said head at some point adjacent tothe groove 13, and such thinned portion is then forced inwardly between the top and bottom sides {Ill said groove. The width of ing 9.

through said opening.

the slot 16 corresponds with that of the groove 13. Here, again, the inner terminal portion of the handle 7 assists in holding the work-holder in place. 7 V

Still another modification of the retaining means for the work-holder S is illustrated in Fig. 4t. Here there no grooves or slots or openings in the peripheries of the head 1 and work-holder 8,but the latter is originally made alittle thicker than the former, and the top and botto'in'sides of the same are upset, as shown at 17, to form flanges that engage the edge portions of the opening 3. Each of such edge portions may be machined oft on-a bevel, if necessary, to provide seats-tor the upset parts-or flanges 17 of; the work-holder. After the workholder 8 in this examplehas been upset at both ends, the saine is approximately of the same'thickness as is the head -1 in which said work-holder is located. 7 no groove in this work-holder, the cam surtace12 does not penetrate or pass inwardly beyond the major periphery of said workholder. I

If it be desired to provide any one of these'ratchet wrenches with friction-engaging means for the object operated on by the wrench, a spring-pressed-ball 18 may be introduced into the "construction. In such case a radial opening or passage 19 is drilled in the work-holder 8, the drill being stop.- ped after its point enters'theopeni'ng9,

and before the major diameter of the drill passes into saidopening; A seat at the inner end of the passage 19 is thus produced for the ball 8,-which seat allows, a portion'ot said ball to project into the open- A' spring 20 is inserted inthe pas sage 19 between the'ball 18 and that part There being ltli) ot'the head 1 which closes said passage'at the outer end. The spring 20 normally retains the ball 18 on its seat at'the inner end of the passage 19, but yields when an object, which. is of a size generally corresponding with that'o'f the opening 9, passes The spring 20, however, forces the ball'lS against that part ot the object which is in the opening 9, and

1 the wrench is thereby prevented fromslipping down on said object, or, in any event, a better engagement between the work-hold er 8 and the object is afl'orded, such engagement being of a nature that facilitates the operation of the wrench in rotating the obect in either direction,

- 1 In practice, an objectfhaving af-partwhich "in cross-section"corresponds in "size and shape with the opening 9,"such as a screwdriver having a square shank in cross-section, is inserted 1n said opening, orthe wrench is engagedwith such part or shank either from above or below, and the handle 10 is oscillated on the pivot 11in a manner tocause that part of the carllrsurface 12 which is on either side ofthe axial line of the handle, according to the direction in which it is desired torotat'e said object, al-

ternately to grip I and release said workhold'er. lVhenthe handle lO is disposed in line with the plane common to the axes of thereby, and tothe head 1, a partial rotation in such direction; and when said handle is moved in the opposite direction back to neutral position, the-head 1 is carried with it, said head rotating on the workholder 8. These operations are repeated until the. required amount of rotation has been given to the aforesaid object. Thus a stepby-step rotary motion is imparted to the obv ject. When the step-by-step rotative movement is finished or completed the wrench is slipped off of the object or the latter is removed from the former.

e are aware that ratchet wrenches are old, and do not therefore seek to claim such a wrench broadly. Nevertheless, some modifications, in addition to those hereinbefore specially. pointed out, may be made in our wrench without departing from'the spirit of our invention or exceeding the scope of what s claimed.

hat we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

.1. As an improved article of manufacture, a ratchet wrench comprising a perforated head provided with lugs which are spaced apart, the perforation or opening in said head and the space between said lugs being in communication, a work-holder rotatable in said opening, means between the outer parallel surfaces of said head and workholder to retain the latter in said opening, and a handle having a cam-surface and pivotally connected adjacent to said camsurface with said lugs, with said cam-surface in operative position relative to said workholder, the center of the arc of said camsurface being back of the axis of the handle pivot toward the free end of the handle, and the distance between said axis and either end of said arc being sufficient to cause said cam-surface to grip and carry with it said work-holder, when said handle is swung in either direction.

2. The combination, in a ratchet wrench, with a perforated head provided with lugs which are spaced apart, the perforation or opening in said head and the space between said lugs being in communication, a pin immovably fixed in said head and projecting in o said open ng, and a rk-holder rotat- 'able in said opening, said work-holder being aiim'ilarly" groo-ve'd to recelve the inner terminal of said pin, of a handle having acamsurface and pivotally connected adjacent to said cam-surface .Wltll said lugs,-with sald cam-surface in operative position relative to said work-holder, the c'enter'of the arc of said cani-surface beingback of the axis of the handle pivot toward the free end-of the handle,'and thedistance between saidaxis and either end of said are being sufficient to cause said can'i-surface to grip and carry with it said work-holderwhen said handle is swung'in either direction.

3. The combination,-in a iatchet wrench, with a perfo 'ated head provided with lugs whichare spaced apart, the perforation or opening in said head and thespace' between said lugs being :in communication,

a work-holder rotatable in said opening,

said work-holder having therein an axial space for the work and a radial passage formed with a seat at the inner end, a ball in saidpassage, a spring in said passage between said ball and that part of said head which closes the outer end of the passage, said spring normally retaining said ball on its seat with a portion projectinginto said axial space, whereby pressure is exerted on the. work, when in said axial space, to prevent accidental separation of the parts, and means between the outer parallel surfaces of said head and work-holder to retain the latter in said opening, of a handle having a cam-surface and pivotally connected adjacent to said cam-surface with said lugs, with. said cam-surface in operative position relative to said worlcholder, the center of the arc of said cam-surface beingbackof the axis of the handle pivot toward the free end of the handle, and the distance between said axis and either end of said arc being suilicient to cause said cam-surface to grip and carry with it said work-holder when said handle is swung in either direction.

4. The combination, in a ratchet wrench, with a perforated head provided with lugs which are spaced apart, the perforation or opening in said head and the space between said lugs being in communication, a perforated work-holder rotatable in said opening, said work-holder having a peripheral groove therein, and means between the outer parallel surfaces of said head and workholder, and engaging both head and workholder, to retain the latter in said opening, of a handle having a cam-surface located in said space and operating in said groove, said handle adjacent to said cam-surface being pivotally connected with said lugs, the center of'thearc ofsaid cam-surface being back of the axis of the handle pivot toward the free end of the handle, and the distance between said axis and either end surface to grip and carry with it said Workholder when said handle is swung in either direction.

5. The combination, in a ratchet wrench, with a perforated head provided with lugs which are spaced apart, the perforation or opening in said head and the space between 'said lugs being in communication, a pin iminovably fixed in said head and projecting into said opening, a work-holder rotatable in said opening, said work-holder being annularly grooved to receive the inner terminal of said pin, and having therein an axial space for the Work and a radial passage formed with a seat at the inner end, a ball in said passage, and a spring arranged in said passage between said ball and the part of the head which covers the outer end of the passage, which spring normally retains located in said first-named space and operating in said groove against the work-holder, said handle adjacent to said cam-surface being pivotally connected with said lugs and the center ofthe arc of said cam-surface being back of the axis of the handle pivot toward the free end of the handle, and the distance between said axis and either end of said are being suflicient to cause said cam surface to grip and carry with it said work-holder when said handle is swung in either direction.

CARL ERICSON. WILLIAM ROBERTS. 

